"Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he." (Proverbs 29:18, KJV)

Where there is no vision the people will perish. Without a vision we are like a rock that has been skipped on the top of some lake somewhere and we and we have no way of guiding ourselves. We are at the lake’s mercy as to where we end up, as to how far we go, as to when we turn or stop. We have no control over our own lives.

Helen Keller was asked once “What would be worse than being born blind?” to which she replied “Having sight without a vision.”

What a profound statement by a girl who was born into this world Deaf, Mute and blind. She could not help how she came into this world but she sure could help how she left this world.

Let me tell you today we can’t help how we came into this world but WE CAN HELP HOW WE LEAVE IT. Without a vision the people perish.

The word vision means – sight, dream, revelation or enlightenment.

The word perish means – to die or to expire.

The question we must answer today is do we as a church have a vision and if so what is that vision?

(Have the people close their eyes and give them a vision of a beautiful church building with people everywhere but lead them into the church from a darkness that is everywhere.)

Let me share with you this morning - what a vision is.

I. A VISION IS FIRST OF ALL THE ABILITY TO SEE!

(Make eye chart for overhead)

How is your vision?

The sight I am talking about is beyond the natural.

Hebrews 11:24-27

"By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible." (Hebrews 11:24-27, NKJV)

What we are talking about here is that Moses had a spiritual vision. He had never brought anyone else out of captivity. He had no clue what course was laid before him. He just knew that God was showing him a vision of something that was to come to pass in the future. As he stared into the burning bush he was revealed the future and the past.

Humanly speaking, Moses blew it when he refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. But Moses’ vision enabled him to see into another world.

Mark 5:36

"As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not be afraid; only believe.”" (Mark 5:36, NKJV)

What was Jesus saying? He was saying don’t look with the physical but look with the spiritual.

To see the unseen you have to:

· Ignore what people say

· Disregard what the world says (disregard = turn a blind eye to)

· DO Not only try listen just for the audible God speaks many ways

· Don’t be controlled by the logical, believe there is more to life than meets the eye. We are guilty of limiting God.

How we limit God?

1. Well we have to save this money in case someone dies.

2. We need to watch what we do here just in case we need it later.

It is absolutely frivolous to save today for tomorrow. Why? We don’t have a promise of tomorrow.

The word tells us that we walk by faith not by sight. OUR VISION MUST BE SPIRIT BORN SPIRIT FED AND SPIRIT LED TO ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING.

1. How does someone get a vision?

Take a good look at God!

· Once we understand how awesome God is, we will not hesitate to believe God for great things.

Bruce Lee had a fighting style unlike any other because he developed it himself. The main part of his fighting style was aim 6 inches beyond your target. WHAT A CONCEPT FOR CHRISITANS. Are we aiming at our target? No most of the time we have to aim just about 6 inches this side of our target. What if we could adopt this concept of aiming beyond? What could we accomplish?

A VISION IS FIRST OF ALL THE ABILITY TO SEE!

Are you seeing clearly? Do you look at the circumstance and not beyond?

II. A VISION INCLUDES A FAITH TO BELIEVE

Romans 4:18-26

"who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, “So shall your descendants be.” And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. And therefore “it was accounted to him for righteousness.” Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification." (Romans 4:18-26, NKJV)

God help us to have enough faith in God to believe.

I like to think about the young father in Mark 9:24

"Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”" (Mark 9:24, NKJV)

We forget that God will and does help us do everything and that includes helps our faith become stronger, how? Through His word.

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

here are alot of factors that influence our service for God which we have no control over -- your background, your age, your giftedness, but there is one important factor that we do have control over. How much we choose to believe God.

*5th grade S.S. class was asked to go home and count the stars in the sky as part of their next S.S. lesson. They came back with various numbers. Some said 100, some said 1000, some said a million. Finally the teacher asked a little boy who had said nothing, "How many stars did you count?"

He replied, "3". The teacher asked how did you only see 3? He said, "I guess we just have a small backyard."

That’s our problem when it comes to believing -- we have a small backyard.

Our faith needs to be strengthened and that is through His word

You don’t need much faith. Faith the size of a mustard seed can move mountains.

A VISION INCLUDES A FAITH TO BELIEVE

III. A VISION INCLUDES A COURAGE TO DO

In other words faith includes action. Courage is going forward in spite of fear. Was David afraid? Yes, but there was a cause. Our problem is that too often we want to live in our comfort zone.

Look at what God asks most of our Bible Heroes to do. He took it out of mans hands

Bro. So-n-so you can’t do it all. I can’t do it all but together we can grab this thing throw away from human intervention and God can and will do it.

Jesus The word says

Mat 18:19

"“Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven." (Matthew 18:19, NKJV)

We so often want to keep a hold onto the things we can physically change or alter. We want to never reach beyond that limit of our own scope. We have got to reach out and let God have his beautiful handy work involved or we will fail every time.

Look at what God asks most of our Bible Heroes to do. God ask them to attempt the impossible.

What if these so Biblical heroes did not want to move beyond their comfort zones?

· Noah would have said - Sorry God I don’t do boats

· Moses he would have said - I don’t like people

· David – I don’t do giants or kingdoms God I am just a lowly shepherd

· Mary – I don’t babies, the son of God?

The biggest Goliath in most of our lives is our self. We wake up and look in the mirror everyday and see the same person we saw yesterday. We don’t look beyond the reflection and see God’s handy work.

Why don’t we have more faith, courage, vision? It’s not God’s fault. In fact, if we could kick the person responsible for our doubts, we couldn’t sit down for a week! God help us to be courageous in the task before us.

There is an old saying that says “The road ahead is paved with good intentions”

A VISION INCLUDES A COURAGE TO DO

Vision is the Ability to see what others can’t. --Faith to believe what others will not. --Courage to do what others say can’t be done.

Columbus’ dairy at times seems to be very repetitive. Page after page simply says, "This day we sailed on!"

What a great motto for a Christian.

Anybody can start the race, but they don’t give out the awards until you finish.